How to Become a Teacher in West Virginia

With more than 50 public school districts and 750 public schools, West Virginia has significant need for educators with West Virginia teacher certification. There are more than 20,000 public school teachers in the state, and though growth in some education fields is slow, the large number of schools ensures there will always be at least some need. Becoming a teacher in West Virginia requires students to complete at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education as well as a series of examinations testing both general teaching skills and subject area knowledge. Read on for more West Virginia certified teacher information, including teacher salary, job outlook, educational requirements, and West Virginia teaching certificate reciprocity in other states.

Education Requirements

To qualify for certification in West Virginia, applicants must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree through a regionally accredited college or university and have completed a state-approved educator preparation program, which includes the recommendation from the institution to license the applicant. Applicants must also complete the Praxis exams required by the state.

West Virginia Teaching Certification

Teachers in West Virginia can be certified at the following levels: Birth-PreK, Pre-K-Kindergarten, Kindergarten-6, 5-9, 5-Adult, 9-Adult, and PreK-Adult. To be certified, applicants must be at least 18 years old, submit to a background check, must have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution with a 2.5 cumulative GPA at the undergraduate level, and passed all required Praxis exams. An initial professional teaching certificate is valid for three years and can be renewed for five-year periods after that.

Required Tests

The testing requirements in West Virginia include the Praxis I Pre-Professional Skills Tests, the Praxis II tests for content areas in which applicants wish to be certified, and the relevant professional knowledge tests. More information on testing can be found on the West Virginia Department of Education site or the Praxis Series site.

State Certification Reciprocity

West Virginia accepts teacher certification from all other states. Applicants must submit the necessary forms, be fingerprinted, and submit a character recommendation for certification.